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atmosphere, but also to weave together the thematic complexities of the plot. Throughout the film, the recurring motif of "eyes" is connected to a constantly changing flow of images, and sometimes violent manipulations, in order to call into question our ability, and the narrator's own, to accurately
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novel, control is a recurring motif via chapter title and topic of discussion; it's an ironic motif that is instantiated in the constant creation of the unknown and the belief that it can be controlled and contained. The irony is explained through the articulation of
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In other words, a narrative motif—a detail repeated in a pattern of meaning—can produce a theme; but it can also create other narrative aspects. Nevertheless, the distinction between the two terms remains difficult to pinpoint. For instance, the term
250:, a general rule is that a theme is abstract and a motif is concrete. A theme is usually defined as a message, statement, or idea, while a motif is simply a detail repeated for larger symbolic meaning.
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references to blood and water are continually repeated. The phrase "fair is foul, and foul is fair" is echoed at many points in the play, a combination that mixes the concepts of
258:" has been used to describe the way in which "recurrent thematic concepts" are patterned to produce meaning, such as the "moralistic motifs" found throughout the stories of
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In a narrative, a motif establishes a pattern of ideas that may serve different conceptual purposes in different works.
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significance can be classified as motifs—whether they are images, spoken or written phrases, structural or stylistic
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to connect different moments that might seem otherwise separated by time and space. In the
American
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is a recurrent sound motif that conveys rural and idyllic notions. Another example from modern
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Myths and
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Narratives may include multiple motifs of varying types. In
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Recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story
91:) is any distinctive feature or idea that recurs across a
114:, and other elements throughout literature. The flute in
367:. Thomson Gale. 2004. HighBeam Research. 26 August 2010
440:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 95.
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uses motifs to not only establish a dark and shadowy
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A narrative motif can be created through the use of
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159:. The play also features the central motif of the
215:Narrative motifs can be ironic. For example, in
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468:International Journal of Middle East Studies
461:Heath, Peter (May 1994), "Reviewed work(s)
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437:The Cambridge Introduction to Narrative
343:. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 65.
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1216:Types of fiction with multiple endings
236:Any number of narrative elements with
128:is the green light found in the novel
337:Silver, Alain; Ursini, James (1996).
7:
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1619:Third-person omniscient narrative
212:perceive and understand reality.
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416:from the original on 2020-09-25
365:Encyclopedia of World Biography
1007:Conflict between good and evil
412:. Princeton University. 2006.
1:
513:The dictionary definition of
261:One Thousand and One Nights
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477:Cambridge University Press
434:Abbott, H. Porter (2008).
29:
1646:Stream of unconsciousness
1177:Falling action/Catastasis
485:10.1017/s0020743800060633
312:. New York and Abingdon:
308:James H. Grayson (2000).
110:, structural components,
1014:Self-fulfilling prophecy
136:F. Scott Fitzgerald
1641:Stream of consciousness
1104:Suspension of disbelief
36:Motive (disambiguation)
1182:Denouement/Catastrophe
1163:Rising action/Epitasis
186:makes frequent use of
170:, for example, in his
32:Motif (disambiguation)
1528:Utopian and dystopian
363:"Kurt Vonnegut, Jr."
274:Motif (folkloristics)
1082:Narrative techniques
862:Story within a story
674:Supporting character
30:For other uses, see
1787:Political narrative
1629:Unreliable narrator
1486:Speculative fiction
1194:Nonlinear narrative
1142:Three-act structure
1002:Deal with the Devil
465:by David Pinault",
399:Bukatman, pp. 9–11.
379:"Blade Runner 1982"
316:Curzon. p. 9.
284:Motif (visual arts)
256:thematic patterning
177:Slaughterhouse-Five
174:narratives such as
126:American literature
121:Death of a Salesman
1765:Narrative paradigm
1760:Narrative identity
1690:Dominant narrative
1636:Multiple narrators
920:Fictional location
763:Dramatic structure
289:Trope (literature)
18:Motif (literature)
1840:Literary concepts
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1770:Narrative therapy
1204:television series
1149:Freytag's Pyramid
992:Moral development
895:Alternate history
605:False protagonist
447:978-0-521-88719-9
350:978-0-87910-197-8
16:(Redirected from
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1750:Literary science
1293:Narrative poetry
1189:Linear narrative
1099:Stylistic device
1094:Show, don't tell
1057:Figure of speech
847:Shaggy dog story
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389:on 2000-11-20.
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1809:Storytelling
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1614:Third-person
1604:First-person
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724:Origin story
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669:Straight man
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1814:Tellability
1780:Metafiction
1775:Narratology
1547:Theological
1439:Pop culture
1320:Short story
1298:Epic poetry
1019:Time travel
832:Red herring
817:Plot device
788:Frame story
741:Cliffhanger
684:Tritagonist
659:Protagonist
203:, director
143:Shakespeare
1834:Categories
1700:Continuity
1569:Nonfiction
1533:Underwater
1429:Picaresque
1404:Historical
1389:Epistolary
1261:Fairy tale
1172:Peripeteia
1154:Exposition
910:Dreamworld
852:Stereotype
822:Plot twist
570:Antagonist
420:2010-08-26
295:References
172:non-linear
1591:Narration
1540:Superhero
1464:Chivalric
1449:Religious
1434:Political
1369:Adventure
1354:Biography
1276:Tall tale
1124:Structure
1109:Symbolism
1077:Narration
977:Leitmotif
905:Crossover
900:Backstory
857:Story arc
807:MacGuffin
778:Flashback
719:Backstory
595:Confidant
575:Archenemy
562:Character
554:Narrative
493:162223060
314:Routledge
209:film noir
153:Imagistic
1797:Glossary
1792:Rhetoric
1599:Diegesis
1579:Creative
1552:Thriller
1501:Southern
1419:Paranoid
1414:Nautical
1325:Vignette
1283:Gamebook
1251:Folklore
1158:Protasis
1037:Allegory
982:Metaphor
940:parallel
935:universe
915:Dystopia
872:Suspense
758:Dialogue
746:Conflict
654:Narrator
626:Hamartia
414:Archived
268:See also
238:symbolic
197:classic
145:'s play
118:'s play
112:language
1727:Prequel
1683:Related
1669:Present
1562:Western
1518:Science
1491:Fantasy
1459:Romance
1409:Mystery
1394:Ergodic
1359:Fiction
1315:Parable
1310:Novella
1240:Fabliau
1211:Premise
1062:Imagery
1052:Diction
930:country
887:Setting
867:Subplot
689:Villain
642:Byronic
242:devices
148:Macbeth
108:imagery
1731:Sequel
1715:Retcon
1710:Reboot
1674:Future
1508:Horror
1496:Gothic
1481:Satire
1399:Erotic
1266:Legend
1168:Climax
1042:Bathos
949:Utopia
837:Reveal
736:Cliché
714:Action
708:Ab ovo
647:Tragic
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1738:Genre
1705:Canon
1656:Tense
1574:Novel
1557:Urban
1469:Prose
1454:Rogue
1379:Crime
1374:Comic
1335:Genre
1305:Novel
1256:Fable
1234:Drama
1199:films
1029:Style
997:Motif
987:Moral
972:Irony
964:Theme
877:Trope
516:motif
489:S2CID
475:(2),
247:theme
232:Usage
188:motif
97:theme
93:story
73:
43:motif
1743:List
1664:Past
1523:Hard
1476:Saga
1384:Docu
1340:List
1271:Myth
1226:Form
1114:Tone
1087:Hook
1072:Mood
1067:Mode
925:city
812:Pace
699:Plot
637:Anti
632:Hero
615:Foil
442:ISBN
345:ISBN
318:ISBN
195:cult
180:and
101:mood
87:TEEF
85:moh-
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1132:Act
481:doi
219:'s
134:by
99:or
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